Results 11,161-11,180 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Other Questions: Fishing Industry Development (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: A totally different issue. Following a request, I spoke to the individual concerned on the farm in question. That was unusual, but I wanted to understand his concerns. Just like small and large farms, we are trying to allow small and large companies to grow.

Other Questions: Fishing Industry Development (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: Let me answer the question that the Deputy asked. A process is required. Unfortunately, previous governments did not put in place a proper and robust aquaculture licensing system. The Commission took Ireland to court on this matter and won. We are required to put in place a gold-plated system that we should have implemented many years ago but did not. A part of the process involves an...

Other Questions: Fishing Industry Development (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: Let me answer the question.

Other Questions: Fishing Industry Development (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: If Deputy Ó Cuív's rationale-----

Other Questions: Fishing Industry Development (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: As in many cases, we are cleaning up the poor governance of the past. This is the truth. If we were to work by the Deputy's rationale in respect of, for example, live cattle exports, the development of which I have been trying to assist, we would not be able to license ships in that sector because we would be compromised. One can take the argument to the nth degree. The regulations and...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ash Dieback Threat (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: The serious issue of Ash dieback has been raised on several occasions in this house and I must report that it continues to be of major concern to my Department. The disease is relatively new to science and has spread rapidly in continental Europe over the past 10 years and is now widespread in several countries, including parts of Great Britain where it was first detected in 2012. Special...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Equine Passports (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: The identification and registration of equidae is governed by EU Council Directives 90/426/EEC and 90/427/EEC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 504/2008 of 6 June 2008. Regulation 504/2008, in effect since 1 July 2009, provides that an equine animal cannot be admitted to the food chain if it has not been identified within six months of the date of its birth, or by the 31st of December in the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Grants (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: The total number of applications on hand in my Department for payment of grants and premiums for planting forestry is 468. Of this total number, 72 are on hand for more than 3 months, 22 for more than 6 months, 18 for more than 9 months, 16 for more than 12 months and 75 for more than 15 months. There are a number of reasons for the time taken to process applications and I will set out the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences Applications (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: An application by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for an aquaculture licence for the cultivation of finfish near Inis Oirr in Galway Bay was received by my Department last year. The application and its accompanying Environmental Impact Statement are being considered under the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act. A determination in respect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Equine Passports (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: The detailed report on the ‘Equine DNA and Mislabelling of Processed Beef Investigation’, which I published on 14th March 2013, provides extensive details on the investigation and the actions taken by my Department. Operations in a total of four plants were suspended (in some cases on a voluntary basis) for varying periods arising from the investigation. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: Payments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme will begin issuing, on target, tomorrow, 25 September. While there is no regulatory date by which payments must commence, it is generally recognised and indeed acknowledged in the Farmers’ Charter, that the third week in September of any given year is the earliest feasible payment date, given the volume and complexity of processing...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: At my request, together with a number of Ministers from other Member States, the EU Commission proposed, as an exceptional measure, a 50% advance of the 2013 Single Farm Payment commencing on 16 October, the first day of the new EU financial year. This proposal was supported by all Member States and adopted at the Direct Payment Management Committee meeting on 11th September 2013. As...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Application Numbers (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: My Department has received 122,271 applications under the Single Payment Scheme from applicants who already have entitlements or have applied for the transfer of entitlements under the Scheme. In the case of the Single Farm Payment, the earliest payment date under the governing EU rules is 1 December. However, earlier this year, in recognition of the difficult financial situation faced by...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: After an in-depth process of consultation and negotiation that was initiated in 2011, the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament and the Commission reached agreement on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy under the Irish Presidency on 26 June 2013. The agreement provides a framework for the continuing application of the CAP for the period 2015 to 2019, ensuring uniformity...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: The provision to limit convergence in the form of the 'approximation' model was proposed by me throughout the negotiation process and was adopted by the Commission, European Parliament and Council as part of the final CAP agreement reached under the Irish Presidency on 26 June 2013. While certain elements of this Irish convergence model are fixed, the Regulation also allows for a degree of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Commonage Division (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: The report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture is a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate regarding the issues surrounding commonage lands, the views of the various stakeholders having being sought and considered by the Committee. As I have indicated previously, while it is generally accepted that this is a very complex matter and requires a very detailed action plan to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Supply (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: The National Milk Agency, which operates under the aegis of my Department, was set up in 1994 to ensure an indigenous year round supply of milk for liquid consumption. All farmers supplying milk for liquid consumption in the winter months do so under contracts with processors which must be registered with the Agency. Farmers supplying milk in the winter months are paid a premium over the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: At all times in the course of the negotiations on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy my primary focus has been on the need to ensure a fair outcome for all farmers. Fairness of course informed my approach to perhaps the most high-profile issue in the negotiations, namely, the redistribution of direct payments within Member States. It also underpinned my approach to the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry Development (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: My remit as Minister is to do all that I can to support a viable and sustainable fishing industry throughout Ireland, including those parts of the industry that operate in Area VIa. One of the key ways in which I do this is by negotiating on behalf of Ireland at the annual December EU Fisheries Council Meeting. As the Deputy is aware, fishing quotas for all EU Member States are set each...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare Issues (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 84 together. I am aware that various interests in the sector, including some animal welfare organisations, have called for measures to be introduced by my Department to deal with surplus horses. While it is the responsibility of horse owners to ensure the welfare of horses in their ownership and/or their care and to dispose of them appropriately, my...